Air conditioning in generalities involves ventilating, humidity control, filtering, chilling and heating, and distribution as well. Efficiency is a dominant factor in each of the aforementioned phases of such a system, it being a general object of this invention to integrate these phases for efficient operation with the least amount of equipment and at relatively low installation cost.
Ventilation involves the movement of air throughout the livable space of a building structure and requires fans and ducts to distribute air between various inlets and outlets therefor, all of which varies with the particular installation. The livable building space varies in its heating and cooling requirements, there being perimeter space adjacent to outside walls as compared with interior space which is not. That is, perimeter space predominately requires greater application of space heating and/or cooling due to its proximity to the surrounding environment, while interior space is protected and requires a lesser degree of application. Accordingly, greater heat must be applied to the perimeter space than to the interior space in cold climates, while greater cooling must be applied to perimeter space than interior space in hot climates. The humidity factor is also to be considered, an independent factor that affects evaporative cooling and which is to be reduced in some climates in order to achieve comfort, with relatively low wet-bulb value being desirable. In view of these observations it is an object of this invention to provide ventilation integrated into the system hereinafter described and which correlates the aforesaid heating, cooling and humidity factors for efficient and comfortable operation of the system. With the present invention, several distinct spaces are to be serviced with heated and cooled air, and to this end it is an object of this invention to provide distinct heating and cooling means which responds to and meets with the individual requirements of said spaces.
Humidity control involves the relative wet-bulb values of outside air and useful space zone air, with means provided for exhaust air as well. As will be described in connection with cooling, humidity is an important factor since exhaust air is employed herein for its cooling effect in an evaporative cooler. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to reduce humidity of incoming outside air, when so required, for the efficient cooling of the living space air within a building. With the present invention, the wet-bulb values of incoming air and space air is controlled for both living comfort and efficient system operation. Also and not specifically shown herein, filtering is to be included when required, for example a washer in addition to and/or incorporated in a humidifier.
Chilling and heating involves the expenditure of energy, the prior art installations therefor being characterized by separate humidifying, refrigerating, heating, and distributing equipment brought together as an aggregation to perform their separate functions. As a result, the efficiencies of these separate pieces of equipment have not been thoroughly correlated so that the operation of one always enhances the operation of the other. For example, a great portion of the energy expended in lighting is uselessly wasted in the luminaires, and consequently there are luminaires which are water cooled. For example, waste energy in large quantity from refrigeration has been discharged to atmosphere through cooling towers. And for example, single stage refrigeration has been widely adopted to operate at moderate heat transfer levels, which is a compromise between high and low level demands which invariably occur. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide heat recovery from the lighting fixtures or luminaires, made efficient by utilizing cooled water efficiently supplied from an exhaust air evaporative cooler. It is also an object of this invention to minimize cooling tower waste by usefully employing a maximum amount of recoverable heat as energy to operate the system. And it is another object of this invention to provide multi-stage refrigeration that responds to the demands of both higher and lower temperatures. With the present invention, a first stage temperature range of heat transfer, i.e. 100.degree.-130.degree. F., is associated with a cooling tower efficient to discharge heat to ambient temperature air; and a second stage temperature range of heat transfer, i.e. 130.degree.-160.degree. F., is associated with energy distribution through the system for efficient space heating. Note that heat recovery from two compressor-condensor circuits is split through the use of separate condensors reserved for "recovered heat" and "waste heat" respectively.
Heat absorption into and out of the living space air is involved herein, it being an object of this invention to provide lighting fixtures in the form of luminaires that not only absorb radiant heat expended in lighting but also to absorb space zone heat surrounding said fixture-luminaire. In practice, the radiation of heat is directional so that the recessed lighting source is shielded for the greater part from the surrounding ceiling area by which heat is absorbed from the exposed underlying space. Accordingly, the fixture-luminaire provided herein is dual channel, having two separately operative cooling circuits serving two distinct functions; one to cool the lighting fixture by utilizing cooled water efficiently supplied from an exhaust air evaporative cooler, and the other to absorb heat from the living space by radiation and convection to said fixture surfaces by utilizing a mixture of refrigerant chilled and evaporatively cooled water. As will be described, the supplies of evaporatively cooled water and refrigerant chilled water are shared for their most efficient effect in each of the said two circuits.
Heat transfer fluid distribution is embodied herein, it being an object of this invention to minimize the piping involved in the aforesaid dual channel system involving evaporatively cooled water and refrigerant chilled water. It is to be understood that other suitable and most efficient liquids can be substituted for water as the heat transfer medium. In carrying out this invention, the fixtures or luminaires are characterized by the aforesaid dual channels which comingle at the exhaust of each fixture, so that a single return line suffices. Accordingly, each fixture has a comingling means, preferably a venturi fitting with orifices controlling the balance of flow and whereby the fluid having the higher rate of flow draws the other fluid into the return line therefor.